Understanding the clinical terms and abbreviations commonly used during verbal or written communication in U.S. hospitals is challenging. This course is designed for U.S. health care profession students and for international students and practitioners who want to become more familiar with the language of the U.S. clinical setting. Others, such as caregivers and medical interpreters, who wish to develop a better understanding of terms and abbreviations used by health care providers will find this course helpful. The course provides visual and auditory learning experiences to enhance the understanding of terms and abbreviations commonly encountered on a general U.S. hospital unit. All content including quizzes are available at no cost to the learner. If you need a certificate, you can apply for financial aid or pay the fee. To find out more, click Learn more and apply next to the information about Financial Aid. (Use a computer, not a mobile device, for this step.)
国际和美国学生的临床术语
匹兹堡大学课程信息
学生职业成果
31%
32%
12%
您将获得的技能
学生职业成果
31%
32%
12%
教学大纲 - 您将从这门课程中学到什么
Introduction to Clinical Terms and Abbreviations
In the week 1 video lecture, Dr. Swigart introduces the course and strategies for understanding the structure of clinical abbreviations and complex terms. In week 1 readings, we focus on learning abbreviations related to vital signs. Understanding the structure of abbreviations will help you to identify the meaning of abbreviations presented in this course, as well as those you encounter in the future.
Decoding Complex Medical Terms
In week 2, we expand our focus to learn about abbreviations and terms used in the hospital environment. You will tour a modern U.S. clinical unit and visit the bedside of three patients. These vicarious bedside experiences will help you to imagine the context in which the terms and abbreviations are used. Making associations of the terms or abbreviations to specific people, places or types of patients will help to “set” them in your memory. Begin Week 2 by previewing the complex medical terms you will find in this lesson and sharpening your skills for analyzing the structure of complex terms.
Advanced Decoding Strategies for Clinical Terms
This week, Dr. Swigart shares more strategies toward discovering the meaning of complex medical/scientific words. It focuses on three essential clinical topics: abbreviations used in emergency situations, the timing and route of medications, and the administration of intravenous infusions. Learning about abbreviations related to medication and intravenous fluid administration requires that you pay close attention.
Diseases of the Bodily Systems
This week turns the focus to the acronyms commonly substituted for the name of diseases and conditions of the bodily systems. To help you relate the disease and its acronym, we have organized the diseases according to systems of the body. First letters of words or syllables usually form the acronym, and commonly at least one letter relates to a system of the body.
审阅
来自国际和美国学生的临床术语的热门评论
This course was really helpful. I took notes and will review them often to keep abreast with the medical terms. These will also help me communicate clinically with my PCP. I truly enjoyed this course!
This course gave me an opportunity to improve my medical abbreviations as I am a medical student. This course is awesome. Not only medical students but also other students should enroll this course.
Excellent class & experience. I really enjoyed taking this beginner's course. It was challenging but also extremely informative. I can't wait to take more in this subject. Thanks for everything!
Thank you for the teachers and Coursera forum. I happily experienced good time and emotions here. More than that, useful knowledge is the best thing I have received. Thank you! Thank you so much!
常见问题
我什么时候能够访问课程视频和作业？
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
- The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
- The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
我购买证书后会得到什么？
您购买证书后，将有权访问所有课程材料，包括评分作业。完成课程后，您的电子课程证书将添加到您的成就页中，您可以通过该页打印您的课程证书或将其添加到您的领英档案中。如果您只想阅读和查看课程内容，可以免费旁听课程。
退款政策是如何规定的？
您可在付款后两周内，或者在课程第一个班次开课后（对于已启动的课程）两周内，获得全额退款，以其中较晚者为准。获得课程证书后，您便无法再退款；即使您在两周的退款期内完成了课程，也是如此。请阅读我们完整的退款政策。
有助学金吗？
Yes! Coursera provides financial aid to learners who would like to complete a course but cannot afford the course fee. To apply for aid, select "Learn more and apply" in the Financial Aid section below the "Enroll" button. You'll be prompted to complete a simple application; no other paperwork is required.
Why do I need to learn these terms, abbreviations and acronyms?
Medical terms, abbreviations and acronyms are a large part of the verbal and written communication that occurs in clinical situations in the U.S. Abbreviations are used to increase efficiency by shortening the time to communicate. If you want to join in any conversation about clinical matters, you will need to understand terms, abbreviations and acronyms.
Can I ask for clarification when someone uses a term or abbreviation?
You can always ask for clarification. However, clinical settings in U.S. hospitals are often very busy, noisy places with people hurrying to meet patients’ needs. There will be little time for explanation of word meanings. The more emergent the situation, the more likely it is that abbreviations will be used. When you know a term or abbreviation before hearing it on the clinical unit, you will be a better communicator and more effective healthcare team member.
Will I learn all the medical or nursing abbreviations and acronyms?
No. This is a course for beginning students. A major advantage is that the course helps you to focus on terms that you are most likely to hear or see during your early clinical training.
How will this course help me in my health care studies and clinical practice?
This course emphasizes learning to recognize and decipher common spoken and written clinical terms and abbreviations necessary for clear communication with patients and health care providers. Understanding and learning clinical language will help you to function more effectively and safely as a healthcare team member.
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